Small Business Employee Benefits and HR Blog

Utah SHOP Health Insurance Exchange - Broker Training Details

Recently, the Utah Health Insurance Exchange released training details for health insurance agents and brokers in Utah. The training details relate to Utah's Small Business (SHOP) Health Insurance exchange, called AvenueH.

Utah will operate the small business "SHOP" exchange, and the federal government will run the individual health insurance exchange. Both exchanges will open to the public on October 1, 2013 with plan coverage beginning January 1, 2014.

Utah SHOP Health Insurance Exchange - Brokers Training Details

The Utah Office of Consumer Health Services recently released details on the required agent and broker training courses for the SHOP exchange, as well as a training schedule.

The required sessions for brokers and agents will occur August 15 through September 19. For more information or to register, visit AvenueH website.

For individual and family health insurance policies, insurance professionals will be able to register with the federally-run Utah Health Insurance Exchange. Details are expected by September. For more information see: Role of Agents in Health Insurance Marketplaces.

Utah SHOP Health Insurance Exchange - FAQs for Insurance Brokers

Curious about how the Utah SHOP Health Insurance Exchange will coordinate with agents and brokers? AvenueH has provided the following FAQs:

1) Do employers have to use a producer?

During the limited launch, employers were required to designate a producer. Currently employers are not required to designate a producer, however they are highly encouraged to do so.

2) Which producers are eligible to quote business on Avenue H?

In order to quote business on Avenue H, producers must be licensed in Utah and appointed with all carriers participating on Avenue H. Refer to UCA 31A-30-209 for further details.

3) How many carriers are participating in the defined contribution system?

Three medical carriers (Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, SelectHealth, UnitedHealthcare) are participating and two HSA vendors are participating. We expect to see an increased number of participants as we progress.

4) How many employer groups can Avenue H support?

There is no limit to the number of employer groups Avenue H can support.

5) Which employer groups are eligible to participate in the defined contribution system? What group size will Avenue H accommodate?

Beginning January 1, 2011 employers in Utah with group size 2 to 50 are eligible to enroll in the defined contribution system.

6) How do producers start the employer enrollment process?

The first step is for the employer to submit an Employer Application to Avenue H. Refer to "Enroll - Employer" section of this website for further details.

7) Why is my name / agency not showing up on the employer registration page?

If your name or agency does not show up on the employer registration page then please verify that you are appointed with all carriers participating with Avenue H. If you need additional information about producer qualifications please contact the Utah Insurance Department.

8) What is the broker commission rate on the Exchange?

Brokers are paid $37 per employee per month. The $37 is included in employee's monthly premiums. This amount is disclosed on employer's invoice.

9) Are there any additional admin fees charged to consumers?

A $6 administration fee is included in employee's monthly premium. The entire $6 is provided to our vendors for supplying technology and product support. This amount is disclosed on employer's invoice.

10) What are the requirements for having a health insurance policy side-by-side comparison tool added to Avenue H?

All applications (regardless of carrier) must be submitted to the carriers in an electronic format.

You must provide a customer service number.

You must provide detailed side by side plan comparison, including but not limited to premiums, co-payments, out of pocket maximum and detailed plan descriptions and benefits.

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is general in nature and does not apply to any specific U.S. state except where noted. Health insurance regulations differ in each state. See a licensed agent for detailed information on your state. PeopleKeep, Inc., does not sell health insurance.